Any party to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that violates it will have to pay a heavily cost, has warned Abbas Araqchi, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister.

Speaking to the congregation of Japan’s Sasakawa Peace Foundation academicians, Iranian diplomat said that the United States’ sanctions imposed on Iran on the pretext of missile tests are unacceptable, IRNA news agency reported, Aug 11.

“Iran’s missile program is merely defensive and deterrent,” he said, stressing that Iran “is one of the safest and most stable countries in the Middle East… which finds strength only in its own people.”

Iran and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – United States, Britain, France, Russia and China – plus Germany have reached JCPOA on July 14, 2015 and began implementing it in January 2016.

The UN Security Council later unanimously endorsed a resolution that effectively turned JCPOA into international law.

In accordance with the agreement, limitations were put on Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for, among other things, the removal of all nuclear-related bans against the Islamic Republic.

Nonetheless, the United States Senate and Treasury Department have imposed new sanctions against the Islamic Republic, as well as several Iranian companies and individuals in recent months over its national missile program, which is not considered by Iran to be a breach of JCPOA.

Araqchi’s comments, which described US recent behavior as “acts of terror” and “adventurism” in the region, came as the Iranian Parliament is set to vote on a motion which incorporates a host of retaliatory measures against the United States.